Thawing
by lubelle321
Summary: There are some inconsistencies in Hans' behavior and the Arendelle sisters want to find out why. Kristoff is afraid he already knows why... *This is based on several panels I've found on Pinterest (figuring out if I can get links to work).
1. Chapter 1

He hated Tuesdays. Sure, dawn and dusk were nice because he could go out with Sitron for a short ride, but between those two hours was misery. Mucking the stables. That was his Tuesday. Wednesday was his "apprenticeship" at the smith's. Thursday he would be working at the water well. Friday was his day to attend any formal events he might be required to be at (Though those were few and far between and his presence was only to prevent further scandal.) Saturday he cared for the dogs. Sunday was his day off. But Monday he would start again by taking inventory of the armory and kitchens. Hans could not wait to escape the Southern Isles.

He could not wait to be done mucking stables.

Mondays and Thursdays were easily his favorite days. He actually had to think to complete his tasks, so he wasn't left alone with his thoughts. His memories, really. And his lack of memory.

Sometimes he saw his brothers, or rather their profile, as they pretended he didn't exist. Sometimes he saw the fire in his father's study. Sometimes he saw Anna freezing to death as his mother's words haunted him, _If only someone-_

Hoofbeats and the stirring of carriage wheels brought him back to the present as someone approached the stables.

"I'm telling you we are lost. There's a building ahead, just ask for directions." Her voice sounded familiar. Hans continued his work but paused to pull the edges of his work gloves to make sure they were snug.

"We should have been traveling with more men and a better announcement. Rather than deciding last minute to accept the invitation." The man was speaking with a scowl clear in his voice.

"It's not my fault you chose to lead the way with no idea where you were going. Just ask already." Her voice had a teasing lit to it and another girl's giggle accompanied her jab. Hopefully the man won the argument and they'd leave him alone. "Besides, I could just make asking directions an order." Definitely a smile in her voice and her female companion's laughter burst over him while the male made a few choking noises. Hans' solitude was disrupted after the man got over his fit.

"You sir! Stablehand!"

"Yes?" Hans didn't quite turn, hoping for as little ridicule as possible.

"Which way to the Castle of the Southern Isles?"

"You're on the wrong road."

"What?!" Two female giggles accompanied his outburst. Apparently seeing this man in distress was amusing to the pair.

"This road runs parallel to the one you meant to take. You made the wrong turn, oh, ten miles back, at the last village. There are two paths you can take that connect the two if you're willing to leave the main roads."

Sighing the man made an offer, "Can you lead us to the castle?"

"I'm working." Hans exaggerated his point by heaving an especially large shovel full.

"We'll pay. Enough to make up for the day's lost wages."

At this Hans turned and faced the man, pointedly ignoring the girls when he heard a slight gasp from them. "Enough to let these horses sit in their own filth for the next week? I've other matters to attend to until then and it's not right to leave them in this. So no, you'll need to take the directions."

"Prince Hans?" one of the females delicately called out. He schooled a scowl onto his face to send at them only to have it drop into shock at seeing the ruling sisters of Arendelle staring back at him.

.

It was _him_. The one who left her to die. The one who lied about being married to her, lied about loving her! The one who tried to _kill_ her sister! Anna's shock quickly melted into anger. She knew it was likely she'd have to face him while here, that's why she didn't let Elsa come alone. No one should face an evil like _him_ alone, even if they were trying to investigate him.

"Princess Anna, Queen Elsa." He bowed after his own momentary shock. "I wasn't expecting you." Anna snorted. It was pretty obvious from the stains on his shirt that he wasn't expecting anyone, least wise foreign royalty.

Max cleared his throat, "Perhaps your services won't be required after all." Elsa put her hand on his shoulder stalling him leading their carriage away.

"Why are you here Hans?" Her voice was soft, almost pitying. Anna wanted to yell he didn't deserve her pity, but held her tongue. Just barely.

"It's Tuesday." He said simply and turned his back to them, continuing his work.

"So you're here every Tuesday?" Anna ventured.

"What are the chances of a giant snowball finding its way here in the middle of summer? Here? To this exact stable?" Hans didn't look at them as he spoke and Max was about to start chewing him out on how to properly address royals until Anna spoke up again.

"It's unlikely. Though I wonder why you ask…" She was also curious about the sudden change of topic.

"Just wondering who to thank for cooling me down while I was working about a month ago." He pointedly looked at Elsa for a beat then turned his back once more. Elsa's eyes went wide. Five weeks ago was Anna's birthday.

"It wasn't alive was it?" Elsa rushed her words out, obviously fearful she had accidentally unleashed a monster on the people of the Isle.

"No." Hans seem disturbed by the question.

"We should go." Interrupted Max.

"They don't have a set time to receive us." Elsa pointed out.

"And Hans could use some help." Anna heaved a sigh as she decided to get out of the carriage.

"No." Her foot hadn't even touched the ground yet.

"It'll go fas-"

"No. I don't need to name the several reasons you are not going to help me. Just go down the road another mile and turn left. Then follow the road the path comes out at all the way to the castle."

"We'll wait for you to guide us." Elsa spoke evenly. Max looked like his eyes were going to pop out of his head and his face was turning fun shades of red and purple.

"That's not necessary."

"We'll wait." She said again. Hans scowled and turned back to his work. Doing his best to ignore the three from Arendelle.

.

Elsa watched Anna tie her traveling cloak around her waist to protect her skirts and jump from the carriage, ignoring both Max and Hans. She then grabbed a shovel and set to work on the other side of the stable. It seemed half the work was done before they had even arrived. Elsa knew she wasn't quite as strong as her sister, so she stood in the carriage and did what she could.

Concentrating, she froze about and inch worths of ice underneath the muck in the stall halfway between her sister and their nemesis, then she willed the ice to move towards the cart Hans had been filling. It took all her control to lift it and place the frozen heap on the cart. Rather than thank her, as she let out an excited whoop, Hans let out a sigh and scowled as he put down his shovel and moved the cart behind the stables. He came back a moment later with an empty cart and the three made quick work of the last few stalls.

"Join us in the carriage?" Elsa offered. Max looked at her as if he was personally offended from the driver's seat. Hans just moved his hand to show off the filth covering him.

"Well you can at least ride beside us." Anna put in, annoyed.

"I was planning to walk."

"I didn't realize it was so close." Max deadpanned.

"Eh, perhaps I just don't care how long it takes me to get there."

"Sitron looks like he could use the exercise." Anna convinced him. Elsa watched as he slowly caved to their wishes.

Really Elsa didn't know why she wished for him to escort them. She should hate him. But something wasn't adding up. They all agreed on that, herself, Anna and Kristoff. After receiving the invitation to reopen trade negotiations the three had discussed every angle that this could be a trap, not wishing to trust Hans. But then, after reviewing everything they knew about their sworn enemy they discovered some inconsistencies, and one was a really big one. He saved her life.

He could have let the chandelier crush her, but he risked his own life to save hers. And then he decided to kill her? It didn't make sense. And he worked so well with people in crisis. Yet this was the man who plotted evil schemes? He was so open with Anna about his own family. But decided to tear hers apart.

Kristoff had an odd look on his face as Anna confessed she had no idea he had such a side to him until after coming off the mountain. Elsa believed he knew something but was verifying before sharing. She trusted him. Unlike the redhead who was currently mounting his horse to lead them to his home.

She already knew this visit would be trying, but did it have to start out in such an awkward way?

.

Surprisingly, Anna felt good after cleaning out the stables. She untied her cloak that she'd used to cover her skirt and dropped into the carriage like a sack of potatoes. She wasn't angry any more, the work had burned that off, and she knew she was trying to avoid unnecessary anger. Something was off about Hans and they were here to find out, not to seek revenge.

He had seemed truly surprised at their offer of help and more than a little unwilling to accept it. She stored that information away as another piece of the Hans puzzle.

Elsa regained her "queen" posture, usually reserved for council meetings. While the pair was working to understand Hans, that didn't mean that they would automatically trust him, and she seemed to be making sure he knew who he was with.

Max wasn't in on their plan, and he kept fiddling with his sword's hilt in his belt. Anna supposed this couldn't be helped. They didn't want to let everyone in on their plan to essentially spy on Hans. Really only her, Elsa and Kristoff knew.

Anna wished Kristoff would have joined them, but he had no real place in foreign politics and claimed he needed to visit his family. He wouldn't explain why though, just that he hoped he was wrong.

"Prince Hans," Elsa called. He flinched when addressed. "How was the harvest this year?"

"The deep sea harvest came in nicely, but our shallow water reserves have been lacking." His reply was a bit clipped but he held the air of indifference.

"I'm not as familiar with your supply as my sister. Could you explain?" Sometimes Anna hated how boring the meetings she was invited to were. She'd like to know what they were talking about, but hadn't been paying attention when she should have.

With a deep sigh Hans clarified, "Fish is our number one export. We have two main types of fishermen: deepsea and shallow water. You can guess where each of them practice their trade." He glanced back to see if she wished him to continue and she nodded her head, interested. "Deepsea fish are rather large and good for storing, winter food some will call them. Shallows are smaller and supply the fresh markets." Anna sat back nodding that she understood. She figured it was a lot more complex than that, but this was the simple terms that someone as unversed as her could follow.

"What are winters like in the Southern Isle?" Elsa inquired, trying to keep the conversation going.

"Not quite as harsh as Arendelle summers." Anna could _hear_ the smile in his voice. He was _teasing_ them. She gaped in disbelief while Elsa turned bright red and Max made more choking noises interrupted by words like disrespectful and monster. The moment Anna and Elsa made eye contact though, they burst into laughter. She couldn't see Hans face, even as they laughed he just kept riding, posture perfect and straight forward. Max grumbled some more after regaining his composure.

The rest of the ride was in vaguely comfortable silence, as Hans led them through the wooded path to the Castle road.

.

Hans was waiting for it. An icy blast knocking him off his horse. Why, oh _why, _had he opened his _stupid, stupid _mouth? He shouldn't be in their presence, let alone speaking to them, and _teasing_ them at that. He deserved no familiarity. As much as he hated the punishments doled out to him he knew he deserved them. He'd forced Anna, sweet naive Anna, to suffer his past. And Elsa! He knew, everyday, that if someone killed him it would be justified, just as he had claimed to be justified in trying to kill her. But if there was one person who could not justly kill a scared girl with powers, it was him. He should have helped her. He had planned to help her. But that changed, and he still didn't know why.

The retaliation for his comment didn't come, instead he heard the sisters laughing at his jest. _Were they insane? He just threw Elsa's lack of control in their faces!_ But they laughed on. He couldn't help the smirk that found its way onto his face in hearing their mirth. Luckily they didn't question him further after that.

As they rode to his "home" Hans was left to plot his disappearing act. He couldn't go through the main entrance, opting to use the servant's stair on his working days. It would be easy enough to just ask a footman to take over and ride to the stables alone, but Sitron wasn't to be stabled here anymore. So he'd have to ride to the stables to separate from them, then double back and walk from the road stable he'd just cleaned. It was already nearing dusk, the carriage hadn't handled well on the wooded path, so it could be nearing midnight before he got back. Unless he ran in and got his change of clothes for the next day and slept in the stable for the night. That was doable. Then he could head into town to the smithy's. Nodding slightly to himself as he saw the walls come into view ahead of him he made his decision to sneak out before his family could torment him for escorting the Arendelle sisters.

The gates opened and Mel, the footman, led the carriage to the door.

"Where are you going?" Elsa called after him.

He turned Sitron to face the Queen and bowed in his saddle. "I'll take my leave to stable Sitron for the night."

"Nonsense. I see a stable boy just over there; he can stable Sitron and you can see us to the queen." Hans had to remind himself to breathe. He couldn't refuse her, she was a queen after all, but he needed to get away. These two _hated_ him, so despite appearances he had to think they had something up their sleeves. And an audience with his mother was the last thing he needed. But Anna was already waving over the stable boy. So much for his getaway plan.

He was not giving a tour. He could hear their footsteps stall every so often as they saw another interesting piece, but he strode on. His family would be in the dining room and he could easily refuse to enter the room in his current filthy state. He could throw the girls to the wolves, hide in his room for the night, and suffer the consequences of Sitron being stabled here after they left.

Hans opened the door with a bow and Stan, the butler, entered first to announce the guests and when both sisters had passed the doorway he promptly shut the door behind them, pivoted and strode briskly to his room.

He stalled however, when he heard his uncle in the study. He had a bad habit of speaking what he was reading and Hans didn't like what he overheard. Stopping to truly eavesdrop he changed his plans once again.

"'There is no way that such a threat can be left on a throne. Her sister seems normal, so it will be easy enough to arrange a _tragic_ _accident_ on their way home that will leave the kingdom in Princess Anna's hands. It is strange to know two in one generation, but at least we were lucky the other has no claim on a throne.' Oh, Ellen. I do love it when you use your queenliness to be so devious."

Throat constricting, Hans finally understood why they Arendelle royalty was here; not for trade negotiations, but for playing the life and death side of politics. He would _not_ allow his family to harm these girls...even if he paid the price for his actions.


	2. Chapter 2

Elsa had expected Hans to ditch them. Knew from the moment he tried to go to the stables that he was trying to get away from them. But she still felt cut off from something vital when the door shut with him on the other side. It couldn't be helped, she supposed, considering he was still covered in horse manure.

Watching the table react to their entrance she could hardly believe that _she_ was the one with ice powers. The uncomfortable stillness in the room was only made that much worse when the queen smiled and bid them welcome. Her smile was sickeningly sweet, but Elsa shrugged that off as her own paranoia at being surrounded by the family of someone who had tried to kill her.

"Your Grace," Elsa bowed formally with Anna following suit. "It pleases me to open negotiations between our nations despite our recent history. I hope we can find an accord to meet both of our satisfactions. Though, I do apologise for our late arrival. We got lost on our way and our coach driver is horrid at asking for directions."

"It is easy to assume he was a man then," Queen Ellen laughed. "Come sit! The food is still warm, and I will have two chambers prepared for you to rest when our meal is over. Surely business can wait until morning." Elsa offered a warm smile and inclined her head.

She counted seven men at the table who all look strikingly similar to Hans. Four of them had women seated with them. She knew that the dowager queen had 13 sons. Lukas, the oldest and heir was known as a great strategist in the navy and his wife Emma was "a demure beauty". The second and third in line for the throne had both been recently married and one was still traveling with his new wife. Fourth oldest was Lars. He was an enigma who seemed to enjoy bachelorhood, even though several marriage proposals had been made by neighboring countries' royalty. Number five and six had each earned a separate title from prince and managed two estates on the neighboring islands that was part of the Southern Isles. Two were traveling and suspected of taking new names to complete nefarious deeds, though that was just speculation, even if her cousin believed the claim. The last four, five including Hans, all had short military careers and then returned home, apparently to find wives, though two had yet to succeed.

For all the knowledge Elsa had gained of the family via her advisors she was sorely lacking on how to tell each brother apart.

"Forgive me for being so frank," one of the unmarried ones began, "but how many people are in your party? We'll have to be sure to have rooms ready for everyone not just our loveliest two guests."

"Lars! Manners!" scolded the queen.

"It will just be my sister and I in the negotiations, but we were accompanied by our Guard-captain, Max."

"Just the captain?" asked a brunette wife.

"My sister is more than capable of taking care of herself. The captain was a bit of a formality if anything." Anna answered.

Elsa noticed this apparently wasn't a good thing to say as the air once again became still as they recall just who, and what, they were dining with. Luckily the door opened to clear the stale air.

"Forgive my tardiness, Mother. I wished to freshen up before joining you for dinner." Hans walked in as if the world was at his beck and call and Elsa had to wonder if he had always had such a confidence about him.

"Of course." The queen's voice fell flat as she acknowledged her youngest son.

Tense was not a strong enough word for how the dinner proceeded for the rest of the evening.

.

Hans made sure he knew who was serving the Arendelle sisters at all times and manipulated the two into inviting him to the following day's events. It was a subtle manipulation, but it kept him in the castle where he could keep an eye out for them.

It was plain as day that they were uncomfortable in the castle, and he would have blamed his own presence, but they had been fine in his company the day before. They had even _insisted_ on it. But today was a new day and he needed to figure out what his mother and uncle were planning so he could stop it. He considered going to Lars for help, he was the only of his brothers that was remotely trustworthy, but thought better of it. If his protection backfired he alone would take the heat.

First, breakfast was served. This was the invitation he had gotten and it was supposed to just be him and the sisters, but _of course_ Emma showed up wanting to keep them company. So he could not warn them of the danger they were in at that moment, but at least the meal was not as stressful as dinner the night before and he secured a time to give the sisters a tour of the castle after lunch. Then, they left for negotiations and he snooped in his mother's study to see if he could find any information on her plot. Finding nothing, he decided to try Uncle Frank's study next chance he got. Lunch was served and he just barely dodged his mother as she entered the room with Jurgen, Iris, and Uncle Frank. Elsa and Anna seemed a tad confused by his hastey farewell but dismissed it easily enough. During their tour he spotted a few servants tailing them, so he couldn't speak then either. It shouldn't be this hard to simply _warn_ them they are in danger here.

.

"Is something wrong?" Anna whispered as she placed her hand on his arm. The reaction was instant, he jerked away from her touch and had a look of panic on his face for a moment before schooling himself back to normal.

"Are you not enjoying the tour? I know sometimes history can seem a bit stuffy."

Hiding her smile Elsa came to stand by her sister. "Everything is fascinating, but you seem a bit distracted Prince Hans. Perhaps you would like to sit down?" She wasn't expecting to be met by a scowl.

"Why do you trust me?" Hans bit out in a harsh whisper.

"Being kind isn't the same as being trusting," Anna said airily, earning a snort from Hans.

"Seeing as you don't know where you are, I could pretty much do as I please and you'd be helpless to stop me." Anna stilled, but Elsa knew that it wasn't meant as a threat.

"You underestimated us once, I suggest you not do it again."

"I told you I'm not afraid of your sister," he scoffed. Then realising he was speaking as if she weren't present turned a sheepish smile to her and dipped his head. He turned to continue leading them down the hall, but Elsa found a bench to sit on beside an adjacent hallway instead. After a few steps he realized they weren't following and sighed heavily as he leaned against the wall facing them.

Several seconds passed as Anna made herself comfortable beside her sister. The tense silence drew on.

"Do you ride horseback?" Hans perked up. He seemed _hopeful_.

"No, though Anna has expressed interest in learning before." The back of his head thumped against the wall as his hopeful demeanor crumbled again and he heaved a sigh. Elsa scrutinized him as he once again collected his thoughtful composure. She was about to ask again if anything was wrong when a new voice cut the air.

"Hans! What the _devil _do you think you're doing?!" Hans lost all color in his face as he faced the voice in the hallway beside the sisters. How they were sitting they couldn't see or be seen by the newcomer. "You are _supposed_ to be in town at the smith's helping in the forge. Heaven knows that's all you're good for."

"Of course," Hans' voice was tight as he bowed to his mother's rant. "Our guests wer-"

"Don't you worry about our guests! You had your chance to kill the freak and make up for your own past, but you shouldn't have been seen by them to begin with during their _visit_." Elsa and Anna blanched at the word "freak" and a thin layer of ice began spreading out from her as she tried to rein in her emotions. She had so many questions! Surprisingly the ice stopped before it hit the hallway's line of sight, keeping their presence hidden, even though it continued down the other direction of the hall further and further.

She focused on that lack of ice to tune out the rest of Queen Ellen's words. It was as if there was something warm counteracting her cold to keep out of sight of the queen. Could there be hot pipe under the floor? Unlikely, besides they would have just frozen. All the windows were closed, and it was brisk out anyway. What kept the ice from the queen?

.

Anna felt traumatized. If the queen's tone was anything to go off of the negotiations were just a setup for something far more sinister.

"Elsa's never hurt anyone. She deserves mer-"

"If you say mercy, I will truly laugh," Queen Ellen sneered. "I know how to hand out mercy, you're still alive, aren't you. Even though I had reason to kill you three times, though I could probably think of more."

"I know I've stretched the limits of my acceptance, that is why I had attempted to find a wife."

"Yes, but of course you would fail. Oh Hans, if only there was someone out there who loved you." Anna nearly lost her lunch as she heard those words that had haunted her. "I could finally be rid of you." Hans' posture stayed steady throughout the exchange, but his eyes looked so tired. "In any case leave the Arendelle girls alone. Else, my _motherly mercy_ may run out."

The queen departed after delivering her final threat to her youngest son.

.

Elsa noticed the receding footsteps and looked up to see Hans relax against the wall. Anna had her fists balled in barely controlled fury.

"My _sister_ is not a _freak._ She is not a _monster, _or a _freak,_ or _sorceress._" Anna's words were ground out in a growl.

"I'm well aware," Hans breathed out. "You," he pointed at Elsa, "need to control yourself. You should be used to hateful words by now." He motioned his head for them to follow him.

"Why?" she asked as she caught up.

"Well it wouldn't have been pretty if my mother had found you for one thing, so control would help keep you safe."

"No, why should I be used to hateful words?" Hans only response was a funny look and a shake of the head.

"There are servants following us who will report back to the queen, and I guess I won't get another chance to warn you." He stopped and put a hand on each sisters' shoulder, a very serious look in his eye. "They mean to have you killed on your way home Elsa, so that Anna, someone without powers, can assume the throne."

Elsa could feel the blood leave her face and thought she heard the scuffle of shoes a ways down the hall. She wouldn't have believed him if she hadn't heard the hate in Queen Ellen's voice herself.

"They wanted to know how many guards we had." Anna breathed out beside her. Hans scowled at the revelation. Looking up Anna added, "You're coming with us."

"I can't."

"Your _mother _just _threatened_ you." Elsa wondered what she had missed while concentrating on her powers.

"That is nothing new to me."

"I noticed.' He flinched at Anna's sharp tone.

"I'm sorry, I missed probably half of that conversation focussing on not freezing the castle. What's this about threats?"

"We'll explain on the way to Arendelle. I have Kristoff's letter, so we'll set off and ask Hans to escort us to our ship. _Where he will board with us,_" she glared at Hans as if challenging him to say otherwise, "and make our way home safely."

Hans face was impassive as he asked about the letter. Elsa was familiar with the safety plan, the only change had been to include Hans in it.

"We weren't sure if we would be safe with y- well safe here, so we have a convenient excuse to leave on hand should the need arise."

"You don't need to fear me," Hans answered with a small smile, seeing through her cover-up, "but I do need to stay here."

"Why?" Elsa placed her hand on his as she asked, which prompted him to drop their shoulders and lean back.

"Whatever comes my way I deserve it. Besides, I might be able to sabotage any efforts they have to give chase."

Narrowing her eyes Elsa tried to pull all her queenly traits forward. "We have been meaning to speak with you, but we found it hard to be frank in our questions. You _will_ come with us, if for no other reason than to answer our questions." He glared at her obvious order. She was a queen so he technically couldn't refuse…

.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but I am already under orders from _my_ queen to take my leave of you and your sister." Hans made an effort to sound as formal as possible while refusing her. He didn't deserve their kindness and refused to take advantage of it. He wasn't expecting tears, and she didn't let them fall, but her eyes misted as she took his hand in both of hers.

"I _have _to know. I _have_ to understand. Please, give me that much. We offer you safety in return for simple answers." He didn't know what answers she wanted, but he knew they wouldn't be simple. His own thoughts were a fog to him during his time in Arendelle, and he couldn't think of anything else they could ask him.

"The queen knows we've been warned, and she knows it was by you. What do you have to gain from staying?" Anna's voice held slight accusation, but mainly she just seemed curious. Hans sighed.

"I'll be in the stables for the rest of the day. Don't let your guard leave your sight and if you fetch me I will take you to your ship, no further." He led them silently to their chambers and ignored the silent conversation they were obviously having as they walked.

One night in the Southern Isles and the pair had already managed to undo all his progress towards escape and place themselves in immediate danger.


	3. Chapter 3

Elsa was worried about Anna. She was usually so animated, but when they were gathering their things and retrieving Kristoff's letter she was absolutely still.

"Talk to me," Elsa kneeled in front of her.

"Did-did I ever tell you about what happened in the study?"

"You asked Hans to give you true love's kiss?" Elsa didn't know where she was going with this, but Anna nodded.

"There was nothing but concern in his eyes. I swear it! I thought he was such a good actor when he went to kiss me but stopped. He said 'Oh Anna, if only there was someone out there who loved you.'" Elsa gasped. How could he be so cruel? "He changed entirely in just a few seconds…" Elsa was doing her best not to get angry. She knew what he did, just not how awful he behaved when he left her.

"Why are we trying to save him again?" she asked, annoyed.

"While you were focusing, when you missed what his mother was saying, that's what she said. 'If only there were someone out there who loved you.' It wasn't just his brothers, it was everyone here." She looked at Elsa with tears in her eyes. "Maybe we can fix that. He knew how much it would hurt me when he said it, because he's felt that. But we can change it." She gave a hopeful smile. Elsa nodded slowly.

"We can try."

.

Anna didn't really know what happened. Everything was a bit rushed, but now they were headed to their ship at a brisk pace with Hans leading them from Sitron's back.

"Your Majesty?" Max was still glaring. He hadn't stopped glaring since Hans joined us from the stables. "Are we _fleeing_? Because the horses will not be able to keep this pace for long and if we're not in any danger I would suggest slowing down." Anna sighed as she watched Elsa argue with herself about what and how much to share.

"We are," she sighed. Max straightened at her admission.

"We'll need another horse then. It's time the two of you learned to ride effectively."

"No! That's not necessary!" Elsa was panicking. Anna held her hand reassuringly.

"We'll be fine."

"They're right. If we're on horseback instead of the carriage we can cut through the paths and take a quarter off our journey," Hans put in.

"And what is _he _doing here?" Max made no attempt to hide his displeasure.

"He knows the countryside and informed us of the plot against us," Anna supplied. Max just rolled his eyes. Without any more objections they stopped at the stable they had helped clean the day before and Max bought another horse, while the royals hid in the trees. The experienced riders took the barebacked carriage horses and assisted as the sisters took the saddled two, Anna on Sitron. She was fond of him from her first ride, though she wished she were more experienced.

Twice Elsa nearly fell off. The first time Hans caught and steadied her, and Max the second. Anna laughed both times. After they had passed the second town and Elsa hadn't hit the ground yet Anna gave in to her curiosity.

"So your mom, she seems great," she sarcastically enthused. Hans straightened while Elsa gasped at her lack of tact.

"Has always been the nurturing type," he let out between his teeth.

"Seriously though, what was that about?" He just shrugged in response. It infuriated Anna. "No! I want an answer! Obviously she's said that before an-"

"Yes. She's said it before. She's said it at least once a week for as long as I can remember, and I shouldn't have said it to you. I apologize." His voice was low and cut the air between them and he barely glanced at her as he mentioned the study. Why couldn't he be more expressive? She wanted to be able to read his mind.

"No one should experience that," Elsa stated. "Though I'm not sure when it would be worse. Coming from a mother or the person you loved."

"Please, Anna didn't love me," Hans snorted. Anna's head snapped to him as he laughed at her heartache he caused. Her eyes were wide as she tried to rein in her temper. _Again_.

"I thought you were the only one who could _save_ me! Why would you say that?" He squinted his eyes and pinched his lips.

"You thought I could save you because we were engaged. We were engaged because you needed someone who wouldn't ignore you and I needed an excuse to leave the Southern Isles. _Love_ is what I could only hope would come after." He looked forward once more. "I knew I couldn't save you and I panicked. Then...I don't know," he whispered the last part and Anna didn't think she was meant to hear it. More pieces that she didn't know what to do with, though she couldn't discount what he had said before that. She really was using him, wasn't she?

"So we should keep from startling you? Your reaction in a panic is to go on a killing spree?" Elsa accused sarcastically.

"I suppose," he sighed. Once again something wasn't adding up.

"It's getting dark?" Max put in. He obviously didn't know what the royals were talking about, but knew it wasn't his place to interrupt or ask. Poor Max.

.

Elsa didn't want to feel guilty. Hans deserved every hurtful remark she could possible send his way. But she still had an icky feeling in her gut as she recalled their conversation. He was just trying to leave home. For obvious reasons, his family was toxic. And Anna was shaken by his appraisal of their situation. She truly had been so lonely as to seek out companionship any way she could. Further reason for Elsa to feel guilty.

The group had fallen into silence after Elsa had suggested they ride until midnight before setting camp. An hour later she regretted that decision. In the dark neither companion saw her start to fall. She yelped as her horse stepped over a root and she lost her balance, then groaned as she hit the ground.

"Ohmygosh! Elsa! Are you alright?" She could barely make out her sister attempting and failing to dismount.

"I'm fine," she assured her as she sat up rubbing her hip.

"Here," Hans offered her a hand up. She hadn't even seen him dismount or approach her. Ice began to leak into the ground at her as he hefted her to her feet. She could feel the familiar cold surround her as she fought it down. But his hand, even through his glove, felt warm. She realized she was staring at his glove and had been holding his hand too long and quickly dropped it and took a step back.

"Sorry," she would not admit to blushing and thanked the stars it was so dark. "Perhaps we should set camp before I fall asleep sitting up." The only responses she got from the men was an amused snort and an exasperated 'I told you so' under Max's breath. Anna heaved a dramatic sigh and practically wailed 'thank goodness' before essentially falling off her own horse to help gather wood.

Max started a fire pit while Hans tied the horses nearby. Anna found a couple logs and plenty of kindling pretty quickly. While Max struggled with starting the fire Elsa created an igloo around them to trap the warmth of the fire. The fire that _would not start. _She and Anna started mercilessly giggling at Max's failed efforts before Hans took pity on him. It started on his first attempt which made the girls laugh a bit harder. Poor Max.

.

Hans couldn't decide if he was being reckless or if he wanted to share everything with these girls. First the hallway, then the campfire, not to mention pointedly stating that Elsa's powers did not scare him not once, but twice. He was taking risks. But they wouldn't hate him for it. Maybe they'd even understand.

Watching them now it baffled him how happy they were. They had only recently reconnected but it was as if they'd always been inseparable. And they were running for their lives currently but would outright laugh at Max's inability to start a fire. Plus Hans was with them, and he had tried to kill each of them. He shuddered at the memory.

"So," Elsa started. Hans stilled awaiting torture. "Max has been a little confused by some of our decisions, so I thought perhaps we should explain to the two of you." Anna gave her sister a disapproving look while Hans scowled and Max had an apprehensive expression.

"Of course you two never confuse people normally," Hans deadpanned. They giggled. He scowled.

"We wanted to figure you out some more. That's a big part of why we accepted the invitation to the Southern Isles," Anna said, avoiding eye contact.

"Keep your friends close and enemies closer, huh?" Hans asked. It made sense.

"No! That's not it. Not really." Elsa was blushing again. No one would have seen it earlier, but he could feel the heat coming off her even as ice gathered around her.

"I understand. It sound strategy to understand your enemy. You can anticipate actions you'll need to take easier. Both in prevention and reaction."

"Perhaps you're right, but that wasn't our intention," the ice queen insisted.

"Then what was?" Max asked, clearly tired of being left in the dark while attempting to protect these two.

"When we received the invitation originally the three of us, Anna, Kristoff and I, tried to think of any way this could be a trap laid by Hans." She gave him a sheepish look and then continued. "We pooled all the information we had on him and things weren't adding up. So Anna and I decided to accept and attempt to fill the gaps in our assessment while Kristoff is looking into something else. He wouldn't tell us what, but I think it has something to do with this too." She was making designs with her ice as she avoided eye contact with everyone. Anna was drawing in the dirt too, embarrassed by her sister's admission.

"Please continue. Tell me about this assessment." Elsa cringed at Hans' tone.

"You already answered some of our questions. You had been so honest with me about your family and then tried to tear us apart. That wasn't intentional?" Anna glanced at him questioning if her line of thinking was correct. "But you knew you couldn't break the curse, so you reacted...well the same as Duke Weaselton. I just don't get why you were so hurtful when you could have explained just the same as you did earlier." She looked back down and started picking at her dress. He sighed and ran his hand through his hair.

"If I had tried to save you I could have killed you," he whispered. He didn't want to explain, but he felt he needed to say something. "I had an entire plan laid out to help Elsa, but then you came back half dead and she escaped. I know the exact moment everything changed, but I still can't figure out why." He still couldn't figure it out. Anna was going to die anyway, so everything in him said he should _try_. And he could have still helped Elsa, he just needed to earn enough of her trust to listen to him. That would have been easy too. He had been ready to make it easy, but then everything changed.

"Hans?" Elsa had a worried look on her face. He shook his head clearing the memories away. It was all so fuzzy, like he was watching someone else's memories. He knew exactly what happened but couldn't tell you why he made the choices he did or what he was thinking.

"I know a formal apology was given to you and Arendale as a whole, but I truly am sorry."

"Why did you think you could help the queen?" Hans had nearly forgotten Max was there and was a bit startled by his accusatory tone.

"To control her magic? It's simple once you find a pattern." He tried to say it like it was no big deal so they wouldn't push the subject. He had no such luck.

"Simple? It's not a _simple_ thing!" Elsa growled as the igloo sprouted stalactites. "It reacts to _everything._ It affects _everything. _I feared for _so long_ before I learned how to just _thaw _something." Looking around she flicked her wrist to rid the enclosure of the ice spikes. "I'm still not always in control." She whispered after her outburst.

"And you should have had help." His three companions all gave him curious looks, but he was done sharing for the night. Rolling over and making himself as comfortable as possible on the dirt he told them the horses should let them know if anyone approached.

He didn't fall asleep right away and heard as each of them followed his lead shortly afterward. The next day he needed to be careful. They'd likely encounter his family's 'tragic accident' closer to the port and he had yet to figure out how to get away from the two once they made it to their ship. Assuming they were safe on their ship…. That was an assumption he'd have to live with, he couldn't go to Arendelle with them.


	4. Chapter 4

"'The mind is an easy thing to change.' That's what you said. How many minds have you changed?" Kristoff was in agony as he asked Pabbie.

"You cannot change the nature of a mountain, nor can you change what is our nature." The answer didn't sit well with him.

"Please," he whispered, "I need to know." Pabbie sighed and looked to Bulda. There was anguish in his eyes.

"You have been our family for 14 years now. Do you wish to change that."

"No, you'll always be my family. But knowing what I do now I'm finding it difficult to trust you. Tell me the truth. Tell me I can keep trusting you." Pabbie sighed again.

"Do you know how you came into our care?" He nodded.

"I followed the royals with Sven and stayed with you after you healed Anna. I didn't have a home to return to and you kept me safe."

"You were always curious and came to us with an open mind. But you didn't stay because you had nowhere else to go, you stayed because we wanted you to. We loved you, and we kept you, and we let you forget your father so you would love us too."

Kristoff stopped breathing. He had come to ask about Hans. He hadn't been prepared to hear that his entire life had been a lie. He had a _family _somewhere_._ They likely didn't even know he was alive.

"Wh-ho-how? _Why?_ Who were they?" He was still trying to remember how to breathe. Pabbie was the only troll around, all the others had burrowed away.

"You're memories of them faded with time, but we planted ourselves in your mind as caregivers and hinted at an accident your father had." He pulled a pouch with a stone in it out of seemingly nowhere. "This stone contains all the adjustments we made to your mind, if you'd like us to restore them. You would see the differences, and be able to tell truth from magic." He slowly reached out to touch the pouch as if in a trance. As his fingers made contact he remembered why he had come.

""Prince Hans?"

"We just wanted you to be happy…" Sighing he took the pouch closed his eyes as he held it close to his heart, remembering their words that day too. 'Get the fiance out of the way.'

"I'd like you to restore both our minds...please."

"Will you...will you stay?" Bulda hesitantly asked from behind him.

"I'll be back, and you'll still be family, but it'll take time to restore my trust. I need-I need time."

.

Too late Anna realized they should not have stopped the night before. It was just before dawn and the horses were practically screaming. Before her three companions could react she jumped up and ran out of their iced enclosure.

Both Max and Hans were shouting for her to stop and as she turned to ask why hands grabbed her from behind. She was pulled flush against a warm body and a blade was pressed to her neck.

Elsa had a furious look and began summoning an icy blast when a crossbow bolt shot towards her. She didn't even see it, but Max did. He dove to protect his queen and was gone before he hit the ground. Elsa dropped to his side panicking.

"Well, well. Look what we've found," came a deep voice from her right. She couldn't turn her head to look, but she was pretty sure it was one of Hans' brothers. "It would have been a lot simpler and a bit cleaner if you hadn't run."

"Hans, you shouldn't be helping them," said the one holding her.

"Franz, I suggest you let the princess go," Hans' voice had a sharp edge to it, though his volume was hardly more than a whisper.

"Max?" Elsa whimpered from the ground. Seeing their guard captain dead on the ground Anna's vision became blurry with tears, but she did her best to hold still fearing the cold steele against her.

"Sure, we'll make an exchange," said a voice to her left. You could have mistaken his tone for exchanging spices around the dinner table.

"Anything!" Elsa cried desperately. "Just let her go. I'll come with you. Please! Don't hurt her."

"I didn't expect you to be so willing," said Franz and Anna could hear a smirk in his voice. She felt the shift as he nodded his head from the right. "Dane?" Another bolt whizzed through the air and Anna tried to surge forward but was held fast. She felt a prick of pain in her neck as she watched Hans grab Elsa's bicep and pull her out of the bolt's path. It all seemed like slow motion.

Dragging her to her feet Hans shielded her with his body and practically growled. "Let the princess go." Elsa was shaking behind him. If she used her powers they'd kill Anna in an instant and Anna didn't know how bad the wound was.

"Come home _little brother_. We'll make your cage a little more gilded." This was said by the archer.

Hans glared in response and breathed out heavily through his nose. Anna swore she saw steam from his breath.

Everyone threw down their weapons and gasped in pain. Seeking freedom she surged forward again, but Franz grabbed her hair and pulled her back to him as she squeaked in pain. Squeezing her throat he held her against his shoulder on her tiptoes.

.

He was _hurting _Anna! And she couldn't do anything about it! Elsa could hardly think straight, but she knew her sister was being hurt. Pressing her hand to Hans' back to steady herself she called upon her magic and encased three of their four assailants' feet in ice. Sweat was coming down her face as she concentrated on the fourth, Franz, the one holding Anna.

"She didn't need to be hurt," he squeezed and lifted her a bit higher making Anna gasp and claw at his hands. "She was supposed to take the throne, but _you_" he gestured towards Hans, "had to warn them. Her death will be on your hands." He was squeezing again and Elsa was panicking trying to figure out how to bargain for Anna's life without threatening him and making him end it quicker.

"I can't stop you from killing her Franz," Hans said in a dark voice, "but I bet you can imagine what I will do to you afterwards." The four brothers froze, and not from her powers. "You've always thought me a monster...shall I prove you right?" Franz began shaking but lowered Anna enough to breath.

"You'll be marked for death, with nowhere to hide."

"Nothing new," Hans replied with false nonchalance.

Franz practically threw Anna to the ground at Hans' feet, but he didn't move to help her. Hans kept his eyes on Franz who was turning to walk away.

Elsa stepped from behind Hans and pulled up an enclosure around each of the four princes. They were encased up to their necks and, ignoring the pain in her side she directed sharp icicles inward toward their necks.

"You hurt Anna. You killed Max. You tried to assassinate me." She was sobbing and no matter how much she tried to use her "queen voice" she couldn't control herself. The icicles grew.

A warm hand squeezed her shoulder.

"It's your choice, but if you kill them war will be inevitable. Right now, if you play your cards right, you can avoid that," said Hans softly.

"They cut Anna," she seethed.

"If you plan to execute them for laying hands on your royal sister, then take them captive and do so in Arendell. Don't kill them in anger or you will live in regret and self hatred for longer than I care to think." His voice was soothing, and Elsa knew he was right. It was just hard to walk away.

Flicking her wrists she completed their enclosures and gave each a few cracks so they would not suffocate. Then she turned to Max. Anna was kneeling at his side. She had repositioned him to a more natural pose and closed his eyes.

"Do we have to leave him?" Anna whimpered.

"I'll strap him to his horse, but if we need to flee I'll need to let that horse go." The sisters nodded accepting Hans' assessment. They rode for a few hours, but shortly before noon Elsa fell momentarily unconscious due to her open wound.

.

Hans cursed under his breath as the queen fell from her horse a second time. It seemed she'd be lucky if she made it to port without a concussion. Dismounting, he approached her and watched her stir and gather her surroundings. Saying she was disoriented was putting it mildly.

"Elsa?" Anna asked concerned. Her voice was still raw from Franz's grip on her throat.

"I'm fine," Elsa said through her teeth. As Hans stooped to help her up he noticed blood on her hands.

"You're hurt." He made to examine her side, but she scrambled away from him.

"I said I'm fine."

"Elsa, let us help," Anna pleaded already panicking. Elsa just shook her head with her eyes wide.

Hans approached again. "I need to-"

"No!" she cut him off, trying to stand. Her usually fair features had become a sunken pale.

He advanced again, "Just let me-"

"I said _no_!" she let out an ice blast to punctuate her answer. But as the freezing magic swirled to him Hans called the heat to his hands and deflected the ice to the side with his own fire.

Anna gasped and scrambled away from the pair. Elsa was shocked still. Hans was the only calm one, but he didn't want to seem threatening to the sisters. Elsa needed to conserver her energy and wasting it on fighting him would lead them nowhere.

"We're still a few hours from the docks and, judging from the fact you've already passed out once, you could easily bleed out in that time."

"You have powers," she breathed out, completely ignoring everything he just said.

He conjured a flame in his hand and held it at eye level.

"I won't hurt you. Please let me bandage your side." She didn't respond and he advanced as if she were a wounded animal. He heard Anna plop down somewhere behind him, but he had to focus on Elsa's injury right now.

That's when Elsa collapsed.

.

Elsa didn't quite know what was going on...was she on the ground? Everything kept...spinning? But she wasn't falling. She felt her eyes cross as she fought to keep them open. She could hear someone telling her something. Then another voice arguing. They both seemed familiar...and nice. Suddenly the higher of the two broke through her haze.

"Hans, we _can't _wait to stitch her. She needs attention _now!"_

"I will not _burn her_. Not on purpose, and especially not her."

"So, what? You're going to let _my sister_ bleed to death, when you are perfectly capable of _saving her?_"

"And what if something goes wrong?!"

"Then she _bleeds to death_! This is not up for debate! We have one way to close the wound and that cauterizing it! If you won't, then I will! Start a fire and I'll find...something metal…"

The deeper voice sighed heavily and started talking Elsa through what he was doing. She could hear his words, but they didn't make sense. She understood his actions though, and related them back to the words she was hearing.

He burnt off the clothes around her wound and then placed something leather between her teeth. She didn't know what it was for until he cleaned her with some of their drinking water.

When her vision came back again, though still bleary, she could make out green eyes holding an apology. Then she felt tremendous pain and the world was lost to her.


	5. Chapter 5

"Did you plan to tell me?" asked Anna as they rode. Elsa had been adamant they not waste any more time on her part when she awoke.

"Tell you what?" he replied.

"We were going to get married...would you have told me you had powers?"

"Of course not." She seemed a bit surprised by his answer. "Only my parents and six of my brothers know of my affliction, and I've become an expert in suppressing it. I don't fear losing control, so the only reason I would have to tell you is if we had a child with the same affliction." Anna blushed at the insinuation.

"You'd marry someone without telling them who you really were?" Elsa breathed out.

"No. I'm not defined by my curse, so one wouldn't need to know about it to know me." She nodded slowly considering his words.

"I can't count how many suitors I sent away and refused entrance because I didn't wish to subject them to my secrets… As is, I've named Anna's children as my heirs…"

"You did what?" cried Anna.

"Well I'm never going to have any."

"How do you know?"

Hans felt very uncomfortable to be present for this conversation.

"Well I don't plan to marry, of course."

"Not planning to doesn't mean you won't. And now that you can control your powers there's no reason for you not to entertain acceptable suitors. Aside from them boring you out of your mind," she giggled.

Hans cleared his throat, hoping that would be the end of the conversation.

"As if any suitor would call on me," she rolled her eyes confusing Hans a bit. Did she not know how beautiful she was? "Besides, I've no idea if I can actually produce an heir." Hans sputtered at her frankness and as she turned to look at him wide eyed he knew she had forgotten his presence entirely as she spoke with her sister.

"Elsa, what do you mean?" Anna asked softly, placing her hand on her sister's arm. Elsa flushes red as she tried to backpedal and pretend she hadn't been speaking of such things in male company.

"I-um-I…" was all she could stutter out.

"Oh please, Hans is the youngest in his family. I'm sure he's heard such things before and who really cares if we act a bit unladylike in the presence of someone who has tended your wounds."

Judging by Elsa's face, Anna's rationalization just reminded Elsa that she had been unconscious as a man bared some of her skin to treat a wound that was very close to a compromising area. Hans believed her to be logical enough not to refuse such help, but he also knew it was still embarrassing and made worse by the fact the choice was taken from her.

"I'd like to point out all my siblings were _brothers._" Hans stated. Sure he'd heard just about any scenario they could think of told by a few of his more rambunctious brothers, but nothing from the _female_ perspective. And he felt invasive being present when they spoke of them. Anna just waved him off.

"I'm not always in control of my powers," Elsa whispered. "_If _I made it through conception, it's unlikely a child could survive that cold for a full term." Her voice was barely audible and her face was turned away from him. He tried to remove himself from the conversation for her comfort, but was unwilling to leave them alone with some of his brothers still unaccounted for.

.

Hans had given her every chance to divert the conversation and had made it clear he understood she was uncomfortable. Anna, on the other hand, made it obvious she didn't believe she could get Elsa talking in such a manner again, so she pushed the issue. Honestly, Elsa was glad Hans was there, if he attempted to become a suitor (which she only accepted as possible, not as desirable) he would need to know the truth. And so _this_ awkward situation was used to prevent _that_ one.

After riding another 15 minutes in awkward silence Elsa decided to speak up.

"What all can your magic do, Hans?" Elsa inquired. She forced a chipper note into her voice as she tried to ignore the previous subject.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I didn't really know what all I could do until after the coronation, when I was up on the mountain. But I can create just about anything out of ice, animate snow creatures with sentience, and manipulate standard material." With a flourish she changed the designs on Anna's dress, though she immediately regretted it when her head started spinning from the effort.

"Mostly I just control it?"

"Just control it?" asked Anna, confused.

"Uh, yeah...after an accident when I was very young, I've made sure to keep it reined in. A friend helped me learn control, but she hated that I hid it. The most I've ever tried was conjuring a fireball. Though I've accidentally set my entire person on fire once or twice," Hans answered, visibly uncomfortable.

"What accident?" Elsa's voice was little more than a whisper as she remembered Anna limp on the floor with a streak of her hair turning white.

"I set my father's study on fire," he answered with a hard voice. "Father understood I didn't ask for these powers. He didn't trust them, but he didn't blame me for having them. There were plenty of other things he disapproved of where I was concerned, but not this," he stared into a flame hovering over his palm, then shook his head. "Anyway, years later when he died in a fire it was pretty obvious who everyone thought was to blame."

The sisters gasped at his admission. To be blamed for your own father's death...it must be unbearable.

"I'm sorry about your father," Anna spoke softly.

"He was ill for some time before it happened. Hilda believes he passed at his desk and his lit candle set the papers on the desk alight."

"Hopefully it was peaceful," Elsa offered, knowing no words would make it better.

"He wasn't a kind man, but he was still my father…"

"So, your powers?" Anna deflected. "Do you wanna try something new?"

"Like what? While a castle of _ice_ is very elegant, somehow I don't believe the beauty would transfer to _fire_." He chuckled picturing the inferno.

"Maybe not a castle," Elsa smiled as she reached over and grabbed Anna's shawl. "How about this?"

Hans eyed it wearily. "What about it?"

"Can you create another one? Or perhaps manipulate this one?"

"To ash, maybe," he muttered, but grabbed the shawl.

His brows furrowed as he focused on the cloth. Flames erupted in his hands and engulfed the shawl, but it did not burn. The flames divided into two lines and danced up and down the edges of the fabric. Orange and red bled into the blue, creating an ivy pattern. Slowly the flames retreated and died. He turned it over in his hands a few times, then offered it back to Anna.

"It's so _warm_," she said, amazed.

"That'll probably fade, it _was _just on fire." He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

Elsa couldn't stop smiling. "Well, it looks like fire can create, too."

"Manipulate," he clarified as he cleared his throat.

"We'll get there," she replied.

"Mmm, warm," Anna said again.

They all started laughing. It couldn't be helped. So much had happened and it had hurt so much just to get this far. They needed to laugh, and when the laughter died the sisters began crying. Remembering Max, remembering the queen's cruel words, remembering how they each nearly died. Hans didn't cry, but he was very somber and elsa could tell he was close to tears as well. They watched the waters churn off the coast as the docks came into view.

.

"I still can't exert myself too much, with my recent wound," Elsa blushed, "so my sister and I need an escort as we sail to Arendelle." Anna noted how Elsa refused to look Hans in the eye as she stated her case. "Especially since we don't know what became of your second group of brothers that we expected to see."

They both wanted him to come. He wasn't safe here, and in such a short time they had begun to trust him so thoroughly. Part of Anna kept thinking back to the previous year, and how easily she had fallen for his charms. But he had been so open and honest while defending them as they fled his home. Not only that, but he had warned them away.

She recalled how he seemed to want his punishment. And his explanation that he had a plan, an entirely different one, that had changed. But he didn't know why it changed…

She started pulling the strands of her hair. She had formed the habit of separating the white strip from the rest and hadn't fully broken herself of it in the past year. Elsa had explained through tears how Anna had actually obtained the birthmark. That's why after the freezing magic in her had been thawed her hair, all of her hair, had reverted to its natural color. Now, she couldn't decide if the thought of a troll kissing her was more or less ridiculous. Pabbie had been the one to save her that night.

Gasping Anna looked up to see them still reluctantly arguing about whether Hans would accompany him.

"I know what Kristoff is doing!" she announced. "You have to come! I think he was right. We need to go right away." And without waiting for an answer Anna found the first mate of their ship and asked how she could be of use, because they needed to leave immediately.


	6. Credit

(A/N as stated in my synopsis a lot of the ideas from this story were adjusted to suit my own head cannons and mashed together from various things I found on Pinterest. I was hoping to provide actually links, but I'm not sure if I can here. So instead here are some web addresses (will take to Pinterest).

Also, I've gotten a few requests to continue the story. I might, but first I have to figure out a little bit of plot. I have some ideas for continuing character interactions, but if I'm going to post it I want to make it more than that.

Hans:

pin/441071357241093535/

pin/441071357257623889/

pin/537195061776163931/

pin/441071357257623913/

Kristoff:

pin/441071357240855706/

pin/441071357240509972/

My biggest complaint about Pinterest is that it's difficult to see where things originate, or I'd just credit them. For my MLB piece I created a tumblr account just to track down an artist who had created a character like 2 years ago and ask if I could use them. That character was also something I saw on _Pinterest_! *big long groaning sigh*


	7. Intermission

_(A/N Hello, hello! As I mentioned in my last update of this piece I had ideas to continue it, but I chose not to for a large number of reasons. Plot and timing being the two big ones. But the plot I was not totally sold on when I published this story actually links well with Frozen 2's plot line. So I am going to publish a sequel to Thawing. It will be called "Puddles of Fate." I do not have it complete yet. But here is what I will post as the first chapter when it is complete. This chapter acts as a sequence of events between Thawing and Frozen 2. It spans over 2 years, so I hope I made it clear when things are happening. If not I am sorry!_

_I hope you enjoy!)_

This was it. His nerves were frayed, his hands were sweaty, and he felt like he was going to throw up. But he was finally here. He raised his shaky hand and glanced back to Sven.

Rap. Rap.

A short burly woman with graying blonde hair answered the door.

"Um, hi. I don't mean to intrude, but I was wondering if...well I mean…" He'd rehearsed what he planned to say, but as he faced this woman everything he had thought of left his mind.

The look on her face wasn't helping. At first she seemed confused, then she was shocked. Now she was looking at him as if she dared not be hopeful.

"Kristoff?"

"Uh, yeah." He scratched the back of his neck trying to think of what to say next. She knew him, so maybe he was in the right place.

"Elias! Get down here now!" Her voice was almost panicked.

"I'm sorry. I know years ago…" he trailed off again as a man exited the house to stand by his wife. The man had a build similar to Kristoff's, but diminished slightly with age. His hair was grayed but darker and grew into a beard.

Kristoff recognized him as one of the other ice harvesters. Kristoff usually worked to avoid the others; he didn't feel as if he belonged because of who his "family" was. Clutching his memory stone he realized this aversion was more of the troll's influence.

"Is everything okay, Nora?" She didn't acknowledge his question, just kept staring at Kristoff. The man, Elias, finally gave Kristoff more than a simple glance and his eyes opened in wonder and shock. "Kr-Kristoff?"

This time he only nodded. These people knew him. These people were his parents. What would they think of him? The man he was now? Of where he had been all those years? Would they hate him? Would they seek vengeance on Bulda?

"My boy!" Elias cried as he surged forward and enveloped Kristoff in a bone crushing hug. Everything else could wait. Right now he was just home.

.

"Kristoff!" He was the first face she saw as she left the ship. She tackled him in a hug, but he just caught her in midair and spun her around as they both laughed.

"Princess Anna," Kai said with a smirk on his face as he came to greet her. She supposed someone needed to remind her formalities did exist.

"Hello Kai. How did Arendelle affairs hold up in our absence?"

"Just fine Princess. I notice your trip was not as long as anticipated."

"We were prepared for any eventuality. Or, at least we thought we were…"

"We'll exchange debriefings in the queen's counsel chambers. I'll leave you to enjoy your welcome."

"Thanks Kai!"

"Before I go, where is the queen?"

"Either trying to quell her seasickness or convince our escort to stay."

"Escort?"

"After Max…" her voice broke as tears gathered in her eyes. She could still see his limp frame on the ground. She was immensely grateful for Kristoff's arms around her as she tried to keep her composure.

"In the counsel chambers," Kai restated as he left. He seemed a little shell shocked at her abrupt and incomplete news.

.

"You're coming."

"I said I would escort you home. You're home."

"What about whatever Anna was talking about?"

"I'm sure you'll find it interesting."

"It's an insult to refuse an invitation given directly from a queen."

"I'm about to go into hiding. I think I can ignore the formalities of royalty."

"Please." He looked into her eyes. It was hard to refuse her, but he had no business here.

"Your people would hardly accept their queen hosting such a guest."

"There are only a handful of palace workers who know why you were banished. After explaining the events in the Southern Isles, I'm sure they will accept you."

"Offering a warning of immediate danger hardly makes up for threatening your life directly."

"Well, perhaps Kristoff has information we'll be interested in."

"Why are you so stubborn?" He couldn't quite keep the frustration from his voice .

"I've become accustomed to people listening to me in the past year."

"Yes, I'm sure being queen is nice like that." She smiled at him, and he wanted to give her what she asked, but he couldn't get attached to her. Eventually she was bound to come to her senses. Besides, he was a liability with a target painted on his back.

"Just stay. You can take a few days to plan your self inflicted exile, and listen to any shared information in the meantime."

"You're good at this debating and compromising thing." Her grin said nothing but triumph as she led him from the ship's deck to the port.

.

She couldn't care less about Tuesdays. Sure, noon was spent with her found family, but aside from that hour or two was irrelevance. Correspondence. So many letters that didn't actually say anything noteworthy. So many invitations she had no interest in accepting. Sometimes she would rope Anna into helping, but as queen it was her duty to answer each and every one of these correspondences.

It had been five months since she and Anna had returned from the Southern Isles with Hans. Their family had quickly encompassed him and none wanted him to go into hiding as he had planned. She could not count how many times he had tried to leave, but they always found a way to convince him to stay. She found her mind wandering to him again as she considered what her next excuse would be.

Shaking her head she focused on the letter in her hand again and groaned when she saw it was from the Duke of Weselton. She wished Hans was with her now so he could burn the affronting object. With a sigh she opened it.

"That sounds promising." She gave a start at the voice behind her, freezing her hands onto the table.

"Hans, don't _do_ that! I could have hurt you!"

"I doubt that," he said, glancing at her entrapped hands.

"Regardless…." She glared and shook her head at him as she broke her hands free. "What did you need?"

"I'm not entirely sure." He took a seat beside her and fiddled with his gloves.

He wore gloves for the same reason she had for so long. He removed them to practice his powers, but kept them on at all other times. He had gotten very good at controlling his powers, too. He could create small things and manipulate just about anything. He had very purposefully never created anything that might become animated. What he did create was amazing. As it took form it would flicker in his flames and solidify into a hard translucent reddish orange surface. His creations always gave off heat and beneath the surface flames still appeared to be flickering. He refused to test his limits, afraid he may hurt someone. She had tried taking him up onto the mountain, but he pointed out that melting too much snow would cause an avalanche.

"Well, what _are _you sure of?" she smiled at him. His expression softened, but he remained serious.

"I need to leave." She felt her expression fall. She knew it was coming soon, but she hadn't prepared another counter yet. All she had was…

"But you're family." It came out in a whisper. She hadn't even meant to say it. He gave a sad smile and nodded.

"And I love this family. But I need to go."

She looked away. Right now, he was _family_ and she was not willing to risk that by allowing him to isolate himself. So, why would he risk it by leaving?

Scowling she opened the letter she was holding. She needed to get her mind off the man next to her. As expected, the Duke wanted to reopen trade routes. She could see the ink pools where he hesitated in his writing, probably trying not to accidentally call her a monster.

"Elsa."

She continued scrutinizing the letter.

"Elsa, please."

Ice threaded over the paper in her hand.

"Elsa, will you listen? Please. I want you to know why I have to go."

She swallowed as she willed the ice to recede.

"I want you to know I plan to come back for you."

Her heart stopped as her gaze darted to his eyes.

.

Oops. He cleared his throat as he backtracked a little.

"I will come back _to_ you - to your family!" He cleared his throat again as she watched him. After her initial shock at his brazen statement she had placed her unreadable "queen mask" on. He hated that contemplative look. It could mean anything. She had other tells to show if she was nervous or bored, but he couldn't tell what she was _thinking_.

"Olaf would miss you," she said in a dismissive manner. He smiled. He didn't deserve this family, and he would never try to win Elsa's affections, but every now and then he liked to pretend he could.

Right now, he imagined saying 'Poor Olaf won't know what to do while I'm gone,' while taking her hand. She would blush and avert her eyes, answering 'Perhaps you should assure him you won't forget him?' Then, he would lean in and -

"You wanted me to understand? Help me finish these correspondences and I am all yours." He smiled wishing she could truly be his, but her attention would have to be enough.

.

"So, Christmas?" Anna asked as she skipped along hand in hand with Kristoff.

"Christmas," he said scowling.

"Oh, come on. It won't be _that _bad."

"_Anna_!" he whined, "I don't know how to do this! I'm still learning how to have a family! You know, not _my _family. I mean! Uhn…" He ran his hand down his face.

Anna smiled at him. He'd gained so much and he let everything so new stress him. He had three families that loved him: the trolls; herself, Olaf, Elsa, Hans, and the palace workers; and his birth family. He just needed to understand that their love meant their understanding and he could balance his time with them in any way he wished.

"Everything will be fine, Kristoff."

"I just… I only really know the trolls' traditions and-"

"I would not lead with those," she giggled as he glared and continued.

"- and I promised you I would be with you for your new traditions. I don't even know my family's traditions!"

"But you can learn them. And I will _not _keep you from your family. Maybe visiting them for their traditions will be _our_ tradition."

"_Our tradition._ I like the sound of that." She blushed as he pulled her close and pecked a kiss to her forehead.

.

"Elsa? Elllllsaaaa!" She giggled as Olaf opened the study door.

"How are you Olaf?"

"Did you forget about our lesson? If so, I understand, but you should remember when you-"

"Olaf," she cut him off, "I didn't forget. It seems _you_ forgot that I have other things to attend to before our lessons. And before you try to make me feel guilty, Anna and Kristoff are teaching you too, so if I am late or cancel I am not causing any real harm. Okay?"

"Yeah… I just like having an excuse to spend time with you. Your duties can get overwhelming."

"I know. I try to keep ahead of everything, but I'm still a little new to this."

"But you're doing great," Hans interjected as he laid another response on her pile to approve and sign.

"Right." She wasn't so convinced, but she let that slide.

"Ooo! Hans! Have you-"

"No, Olaf. I have not made you a new friend. I will not _be _making you a new friend. There will be _no _fire demon friends being made."

"But-"

"No."

"I-"

"No."

"What if-"

"_Olaf._"

Elsa giggled again at their argument. Olaf was convinced that a creation of Hans' would give the _best_ warm hugs.

"I'm almost finished here Olaf. Why don't you pick a book for us to read tonight and we'll do an abbreviated lesson at bedtime, yeah?"

"Ooo! Bedtime stories!" he exclaimed as he frolicked down the hall.

"Dinner will be soon," Hans pointed out as he looked at the clock. She sighed and took in the letters she had left. It wasn't a lot, but she didn't want to do any more. Her hand hurt, her eyes were dry, and she was bored out of her mind. "Why don't we take a quick walk and then finish this up when our bellies are full?"

"I'd fall asleep on a full stomach." He laughed with her as he held out his arm for her to take.

It was peaceful walking down the halls together. Hans led her to one of the balconies and they both braced themselves as he opened the double doors. Though the wind buffeting her wasn't necessarily pleasant, the cold itself didn't bother her. Hans was able to warm himself against the cold and she could feel a light heat coming off him.

The ghost of a memory of pain lit up in her side as she recalled healing after he had cauterized her open wound. She wished she could remember him treating her, but she only remembered brief pain and then passing out. His handprint was forever a scar on her side. She didn't mind, he had saved her after all. But she was still embarrassed when she thought of it.

"So," he spoke under his breath.

"So," she answered sadly.

"This was on my bed when I returned from breakfast this morning." He held up a small note. Carefully protecting it from the wind she unfolded it and read.

"_Marked for death._

_Nowhere to hide."_

She gasped softly at the two lines.

"Franz. They've known I'm here. I'm guessing now they have the means to act while they didn't before."

"But why warn you then?"

"Drawing me out will be easier and cleaner than striking me while I'm here."

"And you want to play into their hands? You want to let them _kill you_?"

"As if you would do any better."

"_Excuse me?_ I wouldn't walk into a trap knowing full well it was one!"

"You would trade your life for Anna's. You _did_ try to trade your life for Anna's."

"But-"

"This proves they can get inside the palace, or at least know someone who can. I'll not endanger you and everyone else by staying here. The target on my back will lead them elsewhere."

"Hans-"

"Don't-"

"You're not supposed to interrupt a queen." She lifted her chin in challenge.

"Yes, well...I'm about to go into hiding. I think I can ignore the formalities of royalty," he grinned at her. She couldn't help the small laugh that escaped her lips.

"And I've grown accustomed to people listening to me." His grin faded.

"Not this time."

She sighed and nodded. They looked out over the kingdom together and she placed her head on his shoulder. She felt him stiffen for a fraction of a second before relaxing again. They both often encompassed the picture of etiquette, breaking only for Anna and Olaf or small children on some occasions. Right now, the only composure she was keeping was her resolve to not cry at the loss of her close friend.

"You'll stay until the holiday passes?"

"I'll leave a week from tomorrow."

She nodded again. He brought his hands forward and cupped them. Feeling the familiar swell of magic in the air, she watched as small flames looked for escape through his fingers.

"An early present," he offered. She looked down at a set of earrings. They were studs in the shape of teardrops, small flames moving about in the swollen dips.

"I'll treasure them. But remember, you promised to stay until after the holiday. No early gift giving in the hopes of sneaking off in the middle of the night."

"Yes, Your Majesty," he replied in a mocking tone accompanied by an eye roll.

.

It was three days until Christmas and Anna was determined to make it the best day ever for Elsa. She set up a scavenger hunt, where every present was hid with a clue to the next. The two giggled as they raced through the palace finding sweet treats, an assortment of books, a new dress (Hans made it.), a stone necklace (Kristoff had it enchanted by the trolls. It dulled the effects of magic on those who wore it. He'd had one made for Hans for Christmas too.), and a small portrait of the six of them that she could keep in her study.

It was blissful for the two to have one another like this. They spent a few minutes in the afternoon going over details for the ringing in of the season in a few days time, but overall they were duty free and just enjoying one another's company.

.

Gingerbread men. There were Gingerbread men everywhere. They were on the mantel, on the tree, every counter of the kitchen, and one embroidered on a jumper for everyone in the family. Gerta and Bridgette, his sisters, showed off their previous jumpers. They had one for every year. Cole, his brother, kept pelting him with questions about the troll's Christmas traditions. Anna was trying to learn everything the family usually did for Christmas. She was fascinated.

Elias did a good job of making sure Kristoff was comfortable and not overwhelmed. When his siblings got a little overbearing Elias would interject a question about the best areas to harvest ice, or ask for a tale about his and Anna's past. They found it strange that their long lost son was courting a princess.

The afternoon was fun and full of life. And they understood when it was time for the pair to return to the castle.

In the ballroom Olaf was waiting by the fireplace with a new Christmas book, while Elsa cast a contained snowstorm throughout the hall. Hans sat with Olaf, matching pictures with words.

Anna had grabbed a tray of hot cocoa from the kitchen and the five of them, plus Sven, set about making snowmen and snow angles and snow castles. Anna put on a show with Elsa providing the props-it was about an enchanted forest haunted by elemental spirits and a prince being saved by a stranger. The sisters shared a sad look when the story concluded.

Gifts were exchanged, and news was given. Hans planned to leave the following morning.

.

Three weeks. His provisions lasted three weeks. He didn't really know what he was looking for, but he needed to find it quick.

So far there was no sign of his brothers, but that could change at any time.

He felt most alive, most free, while sailing. He still had to beware his powers, he didn't want to set his ship ablaze, but he didn't worry about hurting others.

.

Eight suitors in six months. Anna felt annoyed on her sister's behalf. After the New Year, the council had made the comment that, at 23 years of age, Elsa should be entertaining the idea of marriage. Elsa had been insulted and incredulous, obviously, and they hadn't brought it up again. However, it was clear they all had sent requests to distant relatives or social ties to call on the queen.

Many correspondences outlined suitors' plans to come visit Elsa. A few sleezeballs had simply shown up and expected her to ignore her duties. Granted, two of them were gentlemen, but Elsa wasn't interested. The one who arrived yesterday, visiting his uncle-who was a council member-seemed nice enough. He also seemed genuinely surprised when his uncle insisted Elsa 'take a breather' today… and 'maybe show the young man around.' _Real subtle. _

The man-was his name Randolph?-tried to allow Elsa to refuse as he saw her silent fury, but everyone went on about how splendid an idea it was. When the sisters had left the hall he caught up to them, offered a clumsy bow, and repeated stuttering apologies. Elsa smiled and said worse things could have happened.

So today, Anna found herself up in a tree reading in the garden when Elsa and Randolph-she was pretty sure that was his name-came into view. She was about to jump down and announce herself, but Elsa looked around with such a fond smile that Anna decided to stay put.

"Enjoy the gardens often, Your Majesty?"

"Hmm? Oh. When I can, I suppose."

"Your duties must keep you busy."

"You've no idea."

"I apologize for my uncle."

"He's far from the only one."

"Who is it?"

"What?"

"Who were you thinking of when we came in?"

"Oh." She blushed, ducking her head to avoid eye contact. "No one. It's just a nice space is all."

"Sorry. I didn't mean to pry."

"No. You're very perceptive." She gave a wry smile and Anna watched with bated breath. She knew she shouldn't be spying, but Elsa had been a little off lately. "I mean, I spent 14 years of my life afraid to see anyone, afraid to touch anyone. I wouldn't even let my parents comfort me when I felt like I was losing control." She conjured a swirl of ice and watched it in her palm. "Now I can hug my sister and hold her when the stress gets to either of us. She's not cut off from the world and I'm learning to let others into my life. It's a lot all at once. Not to mention I'm learning this while simultaneously running a kingdom," she scoffed.

"Adding suitors and marriage turns 'a lot' into 'too much?'"

"Yes," she sighed.

"I must apologize again."

"No. I've enjoyed the day to relax and your company is quite nice."

"Well, I'm glad I could offer a respite."

"What about you? You didn't seem to enjoy the idea of courting a queen?" Randolph turned bright red.

"Your Majesty, I-"

"No, it's quite alright," she offered a reassuring smile.

"My father doesn't approve of her. I'd assume that would be why they coaxed this situation. Who could say no to a queen?" he chuckled nervously.

"Who indeed?" Elsa offered another smile, but her eyes were distant. He gave her a questioning look. "Even when you know someone is leaving it's hard to prepare for missing them. Especially when you didn't realize how important they were."

"Having someone real is _very _important when surrounded by people with agendas."

"I will never be able to truly express my gratitude towards my sister for filling that role, but it was nice when I had another. It _is _nice."

"Thank you for allowing me to fill in for a day."

They shared a smile and continued down the path talking of the different parts of the garden and who cared for the plants.

.

Anna received many gifts as her birthday approached. Kristoff wished he could grace her with some of the extravagant things foreign dignitaries had sent, but he knew she appreciated the lyre and lute he'd gotten her. She had been borrowing his and trying to teach herself some chords, and he thought they could play together this way.

He was about to present his present to her when one in odd wrapping caught his eye.

"Anna?"

"Yeah?" she called from the opposite side of the room, hidden by the mountains of packages.

"Who is this on from?"

She approached with the sound of at least three objects clattering to the floor.

"Well, it looks like that one is from you," she grinned at him as she tried to swipe the wrapped instruments from his hands.

"No, that one," he indicated the red-orange wrapped cube.

"Huh." She approached it and noticed there was no tag.

Slowly she ripped off the paper to reveal a box. Her hands seemed to shake as she lifted the lid. She pulled out some paper meant to cradle the object and then gasped.

"What is it?"

In answer, she picked up the rust colored statue of a doorway. There was a door on hinges, but it would not latch. No matter its position it was always open.

"He's alright," Anna smiled.

"Let's tell Elsa," Kristoff offered as he held out his arm, but Anna took off running instead. He laughed and chased after her.

.

Anna was doing her best to stay awake. The cabinet meeting was dreadfully boring, and Councilman Jean's smug attitude was making it all the worse. His nephew, Randolph, was the only suitor who had been invited back to the palace over the past several months. Jean, however, didn't realize it was only to arrange a meeting between Elsa and Randolph's sweetheart, Nelly. They were speaking of planning a secret wedding, officiated by the queen herself, to take place the week before Christmas. Their parents' couldn't fret over the 'poor match' after the queen gave her blessing after all.

Of course, Anna's boredom was lifted when an icy pulse nearly tore the doors off their hinges.

"Excuse my frankness, but you don't seem to understand tact. I _am not _entertaining suitors. Whoever is telling their nephews, or cousins, or _family friends_ that the queen is looking for a husband can _stop._" Elsa shot glares to the offending members of the council in turn.

"Your Majesty, with you age-"

"_No._ You are not hearing me, so let me be _very _clear," she pulled Randolph in front of her and showed off his newly white strip of hair among his brown locks. Anna blinked in surprise and subconsciously grabbed at her own hair. "I am not, and likely never will be, in complete control of my powers. Bursts of ice appear when I am startled, Snowgies form when I sneeze, ice _spikes around me when I am stressed,_" she waved away the growing spikes to make her point. "Heaven knows what would happen if someone _tried to make me their wife_." The men all blanched as they realized where she was going with this. Propriety be damned.

"Your fear, uh-"

"_No_. There is a big difference between refusing to let fear control me and courting disaster. I will not risk the life of someone I care about like that. I have already named my heirs. Even _if_ I conceived without _killing _my husband, that is _nine months_-ten really-of trying to keep the life I created from _dying of the cold_."

"But as queen-"

"I will not marry a man and be a forever bride. That is unfair to the suitor. And I will not leave my people with baited breath waiting for an heir that will never come."

"But-"

"The next suitor to show up at our door will be escorted home to his family by whoever invited him. And then you will be taking an extended vacation to visit said family. _Am I clear_?"

There were several grumbled affirmatives as they refused to meet her eye.

.

He wasn't as far gone as he had thought he would be. Truly, he could be back to Arendale within a week if he desired to return. The season's change told him it had been about 18 months since he'd left her. A large part of him did wish to go back, to fulfil his promise to Elsa, but he stayed away.

The island was small, he could walk the entire shoreline in a day. There was an active volcano at the center, but he took note of the vent areas that he needed to avoid and kept his boat in a bay ready to sail at all times.

He'd built a home, or rather, he made it. It was no ice palace, but he was very pleased when his flame hadn't destroyed the branches he created his treehouse atop.

He also created a...demon dog. He hadn't meant to! He was half asleep and dreamt up a companion, a dog. He didn't even realize he was using his magic until a fiery puppy pounced on him and started licking his face with a tongue of flames. Luckily the dog was nice and listened to command and the flames were harmless. He had to be careful to keep Spark out of the water though.


End file.
